Santa Monica College Choosing Between Tables and Charts Planning Report Paper

I’m working on a communications discussion question and need support to help me learn.

In the Communication Q&A section, when asked about choosing when to use tables and charts, John Phillip stated, “All communications need to be appropriately tailored to the audience. Tables are effective when I want the audience to know the numbers. I often use tables in less formal communications, especially with my level of the organization and below. Charts are a great way to visually show comparative data and trends.”

Choose one of the following questions to answer and elaborate on, for your Discussion post.

1. Based on this statement as well as your own experience, list and elaborate on three or four general guidelines for choosing between tables and charts.
2. Consider John Phillip’s answers, and in two or three paragraphs, explain why simpler is better when it comes to charts. Also, explain the strategy behind developing effective charts.
3. Mark Twain is famously quoted as saying, “Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: ‘There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics’” (from Twain’s autobiography). Do you believe this is the case with charts? Explain in three to five paragraphs specific approaches you can use to ensure that your charts are considered credible.